WZBA

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

WZBA
Broadcast areaBaltimore metropolitan area
Frequency100.7 MHz
Branding100.7 The Bay
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatClassic rock
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
November 1, 1959 (64 years ago) (1959-11-01) (as WTTR-FM)
Former call signs
  • WTTR-FM (1959–1984)
  • WGRX (1984–1999)
Call sign meaning
"Bay"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID59985
ClassB
ERP25,000 watts
HAAT210 meters (690 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
39°26′50.4″N 76°46′46.9″W / 39.447333°N 76.779694°W / 39.447333; -76.779694 (WZBA)
Translator(s)See § Translators
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.thebayonline.com

WZBA (100.7 FM, "100.7 The Bay") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Westminster, Maryland. The station is owned by Times-Shamrock Communications and broadcasts a classic rock format. Its studios are in Hunt Valley and its broadcast tower is located near Owings Mills at (39°26′49.9″N 76°46′47.2″W / 39.447194°N 76.779778°W / 39.447194; -76.779778).[2]

The station's service contour covers the Baltimore metropolitan area and southern portions of South Central Pennsylvania.[3] The station markets itself as the only station in the Baltimore market dedicated to the classic rock format.

History

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Engineer Russ Morgan signed on the station for the first time on November 1, 1959, as WTTR-FM.[4][5]

Shamrock Communications purchased the station on April 7, 1981, and changed the format to easy listening. The station's call sign was changed to WGRX in 1984, with a format change to "Eclectic Oriented Rock",[5] a hybrid format created by Radio Consultant John Sebastian.[6] The format changed to classic rock in May 1987.[5]

WGRX changed its format to modern rock on December 2, 1994, branded as The X.[7] In April 1996, the station fired its program director and six DJs,[8] then aired a weekend-long stunt of disco music as "Polyester 101"[9] before switching to a country music format on May 6, 1996,[10][11] branded as "Froggy 100.7". The station later rebranded as "New Country 100.7".[12]

On December 1, 1999, due to declining ratings, the station switched its call sign to WZBA, rebranded as 100.7 The Bay and changed formats to "Rock AC" (Rock Adult Contemporary), similar to WMMO in Orlando[13] with the slogan "Rock Without the Hard Edge".[14]

In 2001, WZBA relocated its transmitter closer to Baltimore.[14]

The station changed its format to classic rock[14] when WXFB changed formats from classic rock to smooth jazz on September 5, 2003.

Jefferson Ward, the station's general manager, retired in 2021.[15] DJ Mike Brilhart has been with the station since September 2003.

Signal note

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WZBA is short-spaced to two other Class B stations operating on 100.7 MHz: WLEV 100.7 WLEV (licensed to serve Allentown, Pennsylvania) and WZXL 100.7 ZXL (licensed to serve Wildwood, New Jersey). The distance between WZBA's transmitter and WLEV's transmitter is only 105 miles (169 km), while the distance between WZBA's transmitter and WZXL's transmitter is only 110 miles (180 km), as determined by FCC rules.[16] The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on the same channel according to current FCC rules is 150 miles.[17]

Translators

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WZBA programming is broadcast on the following translator:[18]

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
W261CD 100.1 FM Baltimore, Maryland 59981 2 93 m (305 ft) D 39°17′12.3″N 76°36′30.8″W / 39.286750°N 76.608556°W / 39.286750; -76.608556 (W261CD) LMS

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WZBA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "FM Query Results for WZBA". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  3. ^ "54 dBu Service Contour for WZBA, 100.7 MHz, Westminster, MD". bing.com. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  4. ^ Rollye James (Borenstein) (1989). Mediatrix Market Profile (PDF) (Report). Mediatrix, Inc. p. 15. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Rollye James (Borenstein) (1989). Mediatrix Market Profile (PDF) (Report). Mediatrix, Inc. p. 56. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  6. ^ Cosper, Alex (June 22, 2015). "Interview with Radio Consultant John Sebastian". playlistresearch.com. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  7. ^ McKerrow, Steve (December 17, 1994). "2 rock stations seek same audience in format changes". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  8. ^ Kaltenbach, Chris (April 27, 1996). "WGRX, switching formats, fires DJs". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  9. ^ Norton, Kristin. "22 Things You'll Never See In Baltimore Again". movoto.com. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  10. ^ "Baltimore's WGRX Leaps To Country" (PDF). R&R The Industry's Newspaper. No. 1145. May 10, 1996. p. 3. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  11. ^ Kaltenbach, Chris (May 18, 1996). "WGRX-FM goes country". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  12. ^ West, Steve (July 19, 1999). "Danny Carlisle & Roy Sampson, New Country 100.7 WGRX Westminster/Baltimore July 19, 1999". airchexx.com. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  13. ^ Lance. "COUNTRY 100.7 WGRX BECOMES ROCK AC "THE BAY" WZBA". formatchange.com. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  14. ^ a b c "Baltimore Radio". centrevillemaryland.us. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  15. ^ Ink, Radio (September 15, 2021). "Jefferson Ward WZBA GM Retiring". Radio Ink. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  16. ^ "Reference points and distance computations. 47 CFR § 73.208". Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  17. ^ "Minimum distance separation between stations. 47 CFR § 73.207 (1)" (PDF). Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  18. ^ "Station Search Details, W261CD". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
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